OpenCut: The open-source CapCut alternative

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Reposts and HN moderation

  • Some comments questioned repeated submissions of the project; others pointed to the HN FAQ saying low-traction stories can be reposted.
  • Public accusations of shilling/astroturfing were discouraged; moderators suggested emailing them instead.

What CapCut is and who this targets

  • CapCut described as a very popular, low-friction editor for TikTok/Reels–style short-form creators.
  • Several people doubt the overlap between that user base and GitHub users able to run a dev-heavy stack.

Installation, UX, and existing alternatives

  • Many like the idea of an open-source CapCut, but say requiring Bun, Docker, Docker Compose, and Node.js will lose most casual editors.
  • Suggestions: ship an AppImage/Electron-style desktop bundle instead of dev tooling.
  • Existing tools (Kdenlive, Shotcut, OpenShot, Blender, DaVinci Resolve, LumaFusion) are repeatedly recommended; Kdenlive in particular is praised for stability and features, though some find its UX non-intuitive.

Legitimacy, GitHub stars, and screenshots

  • Strong skepticism about the project’s legitimacy: huge star and fork counts in weeks, minimal functionality, few/no screenshots initially.
  • Several commenters suspect bought stars or manipulated metrics, comparing star growth to major, battle-tested projects.
  • Others note there is a live demo and screenshots (after PRs), but agree the README and homepage are misleadingly bare and waitlist-focused.

Tone, “edgy” branding, and community behavior

  • The “why not CapCut” page’s aggressive, profanity-heavy copy is polarizing: some enjoy it as parody; many see it as juvenile, alienating, and possibly AI-generated.
  • A linked GitHub issue thread shows a contributor behaving combatively (e.g., around a trademark complaint), seen as a red flag for project culture and code-of-conduct seriousness.
  • Broader debate on OSS toxicity, generational “edgelord” style, and whether harsh tone “protects” maintainers or just attracts more toxic users.

Product shape, waitlist, and functionality

  • Confusion over why an open-source project has a waitlist and in-app analytics bragging; some suspect it’s a startup “building in public” using open source mainly as marketing.
  • The actual editor is accessible via /projects; basic editing (e.g., text overlays) works but many features are still TODO.
  • Overall: concept widely welcomed, but current implementation, messaging, and community signals make many wary.